how it all began…

In 2012, Debi Pfitzenmaier set out to find a coding camp that her son could attend. With affordability in mind, she came up short-handed. Unable to find the right program, Debi was inspired to create Youth Code Jam; an accessible coding experience that is fun and engaging for all learners. Thanks to support from local businesses and from around the country, Youth Code Jam has grown in its capacity to hold several Code Jam events each year as well as provide training and support for educators who wish to bring the fun of computer science to their schools.

Our Mission

Creating inclusive opportunities for all youth to experience computer science and explore with code.

How we achieve this:

Ensuring programs are accessible for all children. We have several programs for K-12 students that are free of charge, and we offer partial or full scholarships for those who are eligible.
Fostering a space that welcomes and includes all students. We realize that many groups are underrepresented in the fields of computer science and STEM. To change this, we work with the community to improve the accessibility of our programs. We believe it is in the best interest of the industry to grow a talent pool of coders with all backgrounds and abilities.
Getting involved with the community. Through events hosted by local organizations, we bring STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)awareness and education to the community in a fun and interactive way.
Empowering and training teachers. Youth Code Jam offers training to educators that is TEA-approved for professional development. By empowering teachers to learn about computer science, they encourage students to do the same.

Communities We Serve:

Racially and ethnically-diverse youth:

Youth Code Jam partners with local community centers to reach students from minority racial and ethnic groups. Through our sponsors and volunteer translators, we ensure our activities are accessible in multiple languages via our Jam in a Box Kit, as well as at our Community Code Jams.

Girls and gender minority students:

Up until recently, the field of computer science has been male-dominated. Efforts to challenge the status quo are ongoing through our partnered programs such as our monthly coding club with Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas. We aim to create a safe learning space that offers a sense of belonging, where students can connect with other gender minorities and see the possibilities of where coding can take them.

Neurodiverse learners:

Research shows that many of the same skills, necessary for success in programming, are the very traits descriptive of individuals with neurodiversities like autism and ADHD. Youth Code Jam encourages the neurodiverse community to explore the logical, predictability that is binary code, through our programs, Community Code Jams and Low Sensory Community Jams.

Learn more about neurodiversity in the tech sector here.